way to go don!!! one of these days i would like to tag along with you in that inflatable for some of that action. i bet you could have measured the gas you burned on that trip in tablespoons.
Actually during the winter months we'll catch much larger fish. At that time we'll wear goretex chest waders, rain jackets, insulated gloves. For the most part we'll stay warm and dry. But when you're into nice fish ;) , who cares if your wrists get a little wet? Another nice thing is: the house with a hot lunch is a short distance away. After lunch, out we go again.
You're correct Ric, after trolling for 3 to 4 hours I burned maybe half a gallon. And as you can see, it was whitecapping with large swells. The inflatable just rides the swells like a rollercoaster while the wellcraft will pound and, well you know how thirsty they are...
Any time you fellas want to head out in the inflatable drop me a pm, its a cheap trip...
Don,
I wanna go out in your big pretty boat! But I don't fish. I just want to lounge up front, reading trashy novels and drinking rum swizzles. I've never been to Bird Island and always wanted to go. I had a 16 foot runabout with an 80 Merc but was a little leery of going all that way in it. Carrying gas would have been a pain.....And no radio......I have money now........... :mrgreen:
You have the inshore fishing down! Only a matter of time before your getting the big boys out at the reefs.
I use to fish alot from my buddy's Zodiac in Kauai, those rubber boats are very fishy. One day he hooked a 150lb+ Ahi that tore the plywood transom out when it hit. He fought it for 2 hours, got it to leader but was helpless since he did not carry a gaff. It ended up chewing thru the leader. We use to that thing 3 or 4 miles offshore regularly :eek3:
Do you have a sounder on it? Where is the bait tank? :mrgreen:
We've never tried bait for trolling just lures, so actually I'm curious to see how live bait would perform. I did install downriggers on the wellcraft, but every time I've been out with that boat, I've stuck with using live bait. Now I need to give deepwater trolling a shot.
Kelney it can be a hoot! Especially when you have several penns screaming at once! Been to Powell yet? Went there on Thursday, up to Padre Canyon in Padre bay. Very nice, not many people. AND the ramp at Antelope was wide open!
I don't have a baitwell on the boat, who needs it when you got tacklebox full of Rapalas, Mirro lures, Rebels and Yozuris ;) ? BTW, my tacklebox also is STUFFED with flotation just in case... I do have a gps/sonar unit which I use heavily! I also take along a gaff and use in on larger groupers.
With this boat I'll go 8 to 10 miles offshore, and carry the best handeld (6 watt) I can buy. I've landed small dorado 7+ miles offshore in RP and San Carlos.
LJ When do you want to go to the island? Can we look for Sargasso weed patches along the way?